Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11 (1865)

Cantique de Jean Racine is one of Gabriel Fauré's most popular works. It was composed in 1865, Fauré's last year as a student at the Ecole Niedermeyer in Paris, and it earned Fauré the Ecole's First Prize in Composition for that year. However, the prize was to be awarded for a sacred work with instrumental accompaniment, and it appears that the manuscript Fauré submitted was scored for voices and organ only. A version with accompaniment by string quintet and harmonium or organ was performed in Rennes on August 4, 1866, at the Church of Saint-Sauveur, where Fauré had taken up a position as organist after leaving the Ecole. Perhaps this version had been completed but not written out before the 1865 composition deadline, or perhaps Fauré had been granted an extension during which he prepared the version performed at Rennes.

The Parisian house of F. Schoen published a vocal score of Cantique in 1876. The piece carried the designation Opus 11, presumably to create the impression that it was the work of a composer of some experience. Hamelle, the publisher with which Fauré was associated for much of his career, brought out another vocal score in 1893.

At least two versions of Cantique with instrumental accompaniment were prepared. A performance conducted by César Franck (to whom the work was dedicated) was given on May 15, 1875, at a concert of the Societe nationale de musique; no score or parts for this version are known to survive. Another performance with instrumental accompaniment, this time conducted by Georges Marty, was given on January 28, 1906, at a concert of the Societe des concerts du Conservatoire. This version was orchestrated for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, harp, first and second violins, violas, 'cellos, and basses. A full score of this version was engraved by Hamelle.

The present edition is based on the Hamelle score. The vocal parts have been taken from this source. The piano accompaniment is a reduction of the instrumental parts; indications of dynamics and articulation have been adapted for the piano. The few mechanical errors in the Hamelle score have been corrected silently. Some cautionary accidentals have been added (in parentheses) for the convenience of performers. An English text suitable for singing has been supplied.